


She's The Last True Mouthpiece

by TwoCatsTailoring



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Astrals - Freeform, Backstory, F/M, Fall of mankind, Lore - Freeform, POV First Person, Pitioss Theory, gentiana/ardyn mentioned, the astrals are assholes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2017-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-13 08:18:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11755773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwoCatsTailoring/pseuds/TwoCatsTailoring
Summary: Narrated in the first person by Shiva, this is her version of how the far-past history of the Astrals and humankind played out. It runs through the creation of the world and humans through to the point of Ardyn being rejected from the afterlife.





	She's The Last True Mouthpiece

This is the truth that I speak to you now. The truth of how it all came to pass, stripped of its legend, shorn of its lore. Failure and triumph, judgement fair and foul. Of how We created the world only to set it on the path of ruin.

In our arrogance, We created the downfall of mankind, short-sighted in Our understanding of Our own creation. But without mankind, it is just as the Last Oracle explained to my Sister of Tides: “It is in receiving mercy that men offer praise, and in shedding grace that the gods solicit worship.”

Without mankind, We have nothing.

We did not acknowledge this when We locked away my Sister of Light, punishment for consorting freely with humans on their level. Her punishment for daring to seduce a human, making love to him, and bearing his children was more important. Her crimes more heinous than the reality of Us being as dependent on them as they are on Us.

Not all of Us were so blind. But I wonder still if My Brother of Flames was right to save Her. Of course He was, but could not much of Our suffering have been prevented had He not? Humanity would have dwindled had Her Light fled completely then and without them, We have nothing. Are nothing. I still am not satisfied with these answers.

My Brother of War would say I have grown soft, living with them as I have for so long. As misguided as Her, perhaps. But He too has suffered the consequences. Sister Light’s betrayal wounded Him deeply, Brother Flame’s anger rent his soul. Our fracture caused Him to retreat, leaving All behind.

Common belief would have it known that everything changed in one clock-strike moment. But it did not. To Us it was far too fast, but to humanity? It took many ages of mankind and no one, not mankind nor Us, was left untouched.

While the plagues began, my Sister’s children grew.

One, gentle and kind, seeking desperately to help those so afflicted. He knew his own origins, he was First and the story seemed etched into his very bones. He was the Son of Light, to follow in his father and mother’s footsteps, the best of all possible things. Indulged, doted on, encouraged by all who knew him. Loved and admired and adored by all whom he touched. From his line would come that of the Oracles.

The other, the Second. Attractive, boisterous, and brave seeking his own counsel and his own desires with a winning charm and quick tongue. He too knew his origins but to him they were a source of personal acclaim. Equally indulged and spoiled but always wanting more. Wanting to be the first, the best. The only. But that was not a thing that any of Us hold dominion over. From his line would come the Children of My Sister’s Light.

Brother Thunder and I tried, both of Us taking on human forms. We thought We could get closer to them, gain their trust. How Sister Tide raged at Us, pointing out the failure of Sister Light’s attempts to consort with humans.  But for ages upon ages, while the Plague of the Starscourge first afflicted, then menaced, then decimated humankind while Sister Light’s children’s children’s children fought helpless against it, We only wanted to help.

The humans split, moving and drifting, ever restless, ever searching for someplace safe from the plague that ate away at them all. They fractured, just as We did before. Waning, wasting away far from each other, humanity fell.

Brother War returned, wiser perhaps for his time alone. He found mankind dying and gifted one of them, the one most like our Sister Light, with Her heart to keep the light of hope alive in the world. To another, one of steel will and fierce determination, He granted the power to banish the scourge with Our blessings to heal those who suffered the most.

And for a time, much too short to Us but long enough to be living memory for mankind, things were well with the world.

The kindness and desire to help lived on in my Sister’s children throughout the ages. But so also did the corruption given to them by their human father. Neither line was excused from either the best or the worst.

One such, Chosen by his Mother’s heart, got all of the good and nearly none of the bad. So giving was he that he had no ability to see the treachery in his own house. Already Chosen, but not yet on the throne of mankind, he spent his time healing the Scourge that remained. His gift for it, his ability and passion and determination to see mankind flourish without the curse of the plague on them was his greatest strength.

It was that goodness that drew his closest friends to him, what made them give their lives, talents, and swords to him. It is what brought him the loyalty of the dour Swordsman, so complete that it is alive in perpetuity for his own long line to call upon. It is what brought huge crowds to him as he traveled; bringing people from leagues away just to hear his voice, believing that it alone could ease their suffering.

And it is what made Me love him as my Sister Light had loved the King ages before. I understood Her then, and my heart broke for Her at last.

He bore the pain of the plague, he took in all the hurt and disease and vileness that was killing humanity – that took his own bride from him so young – and bore it willingly in the hope that their child would have a chance at ruling a world free of it all. He was ill himself, sick, dying from this scourge that ate him alive just as it did all the thousands that he took it from and still he did not slow or stop in his determination to set the world of man free.

And while he healed, his own child that he loved so much painted his father a scourge himself. A black spot on humanity and in line for its greatest honor. For what mere man could do all that without the Blessings that the Oracle possessed? Surely his power was outside of Our teachings and bought from dark arts.

And mankind believed it.

And in punishment, just like Our Sister of Light, he was cast out of Our realm and cursed when the very people he had saved came for his life. So unclean had he become in his desire to free mankind from it’s prison of plague that allowing him into Our realm would be the end of Us all. And We could not allow it.

He was erased from history by his own beloved child, a non-king who had done nothing worthwhile and who should be forgotten, as all embarrassing relatives are. And as such, My love was rejected by all who had loved him, Myself included.

I could not find it within me then to return to mankind. I told none of my Brothers and Sisters of My love for the Corrupted Chosen, but I suspect that Brother Thunder knew. We all drew away then, leaving mankind to itself with the powers that We had granted: healing those plagued to the Oracle, holding back the night to the Children of Sister Light.

Watching and waiting as Her light faded, knowing that We would have to intervene when Her heart Chose the One Who Could Save Us All. Because all of us, from My angry Tide Sister to My stoic Brother Earth, knew then that We were to blame.

**Author's Note:**

> This work borrows heavily from the [Pitioss Theory](https://www.reddit.com/r/FFXV/comments/5t367b/pitioss_ruins_revelations/?st=j65cperj&sh=28082260) in terms of the hows and whys of things happening and what they all mean. 
> 
> There's also a lot of speculation about who Ardyn's Usurper might have been, and while I've read some that it was an uncle, I felt like riding the pain train and did something different. 
> 
> There's more to this story too, but the more of it I wrote the less sure I became of putting in Gentiana's return to the world of the humans and what they meant for her and Ardyn. So I didn't for now. Maybe later, if there's interest.


End file.
